Christmas Healing
by Shadow Commando
Summary: Sonic and Manic's introverted cousin, Ashura is sent to stay with them for Christmas, but is reluctant to enjoy the holidays with the family after losing someone dear to him, leaving it up to the twins to help him heal.
1. Home For Christmas

**This is set in the past, because it's a prequel to another fic of mine, called Counterfeit Manic.**

(Friday, December 15, 2000)

_One Battle Droid fell, another one's head was sliced off, and a third was knocked back by a bolt from its own blaster deflected back at it by an emerald hued lightsaber. It was too early to gloat, as more were charging around the corner of the giant bed, so the wielder of the plasma blade brought up his free hand and concentrated the force within him toward the robotic soldiers, sending them flying back and crashing into the floor or whatever got in their way._

_Qui-Gon Jinn looked around for any additional threats, but instead of more droids, he heard a horrible roar from above that ripped through his very soul and gazed upward to see a giant pink teddy bear holding a pillow three times its size above its head, menacingly. The Jedi knew the pink monster intended to crush him with it, but he didn't have enough time to get out of the way before the creature from the pink lagoon chucked it at him. The robed man put up his lightsaber in a desperate attempt to shield himself when the giant pillow was unexpectedly cast aside by an unseen fist. Looking in the direction the pillow was hit from, the Jedi spotted his younger apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, blue lightsaber in one hand, and his other extended toward the object he just flung away._

_"What kept you, padawan?" Qui-Gon asked, incredulously._

_"I was on my bathroom break," objected Obi-Wan, defensively, "Do you have any idea how long it takes to get robes like this off and then on again?"_

_The pink bear pounded its chest as it roared once more, this time as a challenge. Both Jedi Knights brandished their laser swords like Samurais with Katanas as the pink nightmare hopped off the oversized bed and landed between them, ready to strike out at whichever one roused its anger. But before any of the three combatants could strike the first blow, they heard a large door opening up downstairs..._

"Dad's home!" chirped a 4 year old blue hedgie named Sonic, setting down his Obi-Wan action figure.

Manic, his green furred twin, laid his miniature Qui-Gon down next to the stuffed teddy bear and followed Sonic out of the room and down the stairs. Finding an older blue hedgehog hanging up his coat in the closet near the garage door, they both clamped onto his legs, telling him, "Merry Christmas!"

"H'yeah, ho, ho, ho!" chuckled Jules, hugging them back, before releasing them and stalking lazily out of the laundry room and straight into his wife, Aleena's waiting arms.

"Welcome home, sweetie!" cooed the violet colored hedgehog, holding him tight.

Her blue husband nearly collapsed in her embrace, holding onto her as if for support, which immediately told her something wasn't quite right. He normally swept her off her feet when he came home.

"Is something wrong?" she whispered.

"Nothing serious," mumbled Jules, heading for the family room, "just had a rough day that I need to forget about."

Sonic seemed satisfied and ran back upstairs, but Manic, like Aleena, sensed something was amiss with his dad, watching him slump into the recliner, defeat lining his features.

"Is there anything I can get you?" asked Aleena, hoping to perk up her man.

"Uh...not at the moment," he replied, appearing to stare off into space, until Aleena followed his gaze to Manic.

Getting the hint, she shooed the green hedgie upstairs before kneeling beside Jules, whose chin rested on his folded hands, indicating more than a typical bad day at work.

"I uh...I had another incident today," Jules explained under his breath.

Aleena almost instinctively knew what he meant, but wondered what the implications for it were.

"Were you...let go?" she whispered, nervously, knowing that could ruin more than just the holidays, but felt relieved when her husband shook his head.

"Mr. Morgan gave me till after Christmas Break to get my act together, but he definitely wasn't too happy."

Ever since his time as a soldier, Jules' PTSD had been a real hindrance to his work, having cost him at least two previous jobs and broken plenty of friendships, and now he was on the verge of losing a third because his nerves acted up around anything that reminded him of Mogadishu...

Aleena pulled her blue furred partner into the tightest hug she could manage, while at the top of the stairs, both hedgehog twins watched with increasing apprehension.

"I don't think dad's feeling well," whispered Manic.

"Any ideas?" Sonic whispered back.

Manic pondered that. What _would_ make a bad day go away...?

"Let's make him some hot chocolate!" he whispered.

They both snuck down the other set of stairs near the front of the house, took a left through the dining room, and turned left again to find themselves in the kitchen, which, of course, was right next to the family room their parents were in, but as long as they only saw the twins making some cocoa, they'd probably think nothing of it.

Meanwhile, Aleena did her best to comfort her husband, not wanting his vacation from work to start off sour.

"At least you still have your job," she assured him, "Just imagine if you didn't."

Jules wasn't ready to perk up just yet, but he knew she was right. He could still go back to work after Christmas, which meant his family still had income, which, all things considered, also meant that he didn't really have a whole lot to be upset about.

"Yeah, you got a point," Jules replied, turning and hugging his wife, letting his worries go in her embrace.

The wounds he'd been carrying for the past 7 years would always be there, but so would his wife and children. The least he could do was return the favor.

"Merry Christmas, Dad!" chirped a familiar set of voices.

Jules opened his eyes to see both his toddler sons standing in front of him with an amateurly made cup of hot cocoa. They probably hadn't even heated it, but that mattered little to him, because having them there for him at that moment was sweeter and more refreshing than even the best hot cocoa in the world.

Right about then, a soft cry was heard upstairs.

Sonia must be hungry," inquired Aleena, heading upstairs, "Be right back."

Jules took the cup from Sonic and Manic, then set it down on the coffee table beside his recliner and the two hedgies into a big bear hug.

"You two are the best presents Santa brought me," he told them, smiling, "So glad I got you guys."

Aleena came back down, holding an eggplant colored baby hedgehog in her arms, wrapped in a blanket.

"Could you hold her while I get her milk?" she asked.

"Sure thing," replied Jules, taking his 2 year old daughter into his own arms.

"No one should be alone on Christmas!" whispered Manic, still holding onto his father.

"You're right," said Jules, looking down at baby Sonia as she placed a hand on his cheek, "No one should have to be alone..."

Aleena came back with a full bottle and took a moment to admire the picturesque scene before her. The hard working father relaxing in his recliner, his children with him, and all in front of a bright fire glowing behind them. All that was missing was her.

"I wish I had a camera right now," she giggled.

"Ah!" shouted the two hedgie twins, who dashed out of the room in the amount of time it took to sneeze.

Jules laughed silently.

"_Never_ mention the camera around them!" he warned, ominously.

"They can't escape it forever," Aleena exclaimed, humorously as she took Baby Sonia from Jules and sat down on the couch separated from Jules' recliner only by a space big enough for people to enter the room through.

Manic and Sonic circled back around into the room and sat down on either side of their mother, making it Jules' turn to admire his family from a distance, imagining himself there with him, though he could swear something was still missing...

Then it occurred to him that he'd indeed left out something, or rather, someone: his older brother, Charles- known to his kids as Uncle Chuck.

_'No one should be alone on Christmas!'_

Last Jules checked, Chuck was still single, and very much alone. The Hedge House was also quite big, and could easily accommodate an extra guest, with room to spare.

"I thought about what Manic said," spoke Jules.

"Oh?" asked Aleena, helping Sonic feed Sonia with her bottle.

"No one should be alone on Christmas," continued Jules, "But that's exactly what Uncle Chuck has done the last few years."

Sonic was still preoccupied with Sonia, but Jules had certainly caught Manic's attention.

"He should come stay with us!" said the green hedgie, matter-of-factly.

_'That's one.'_

"Isn't he on duty?" asked Aleena, pointing out Chuck's job as a police officer.

"I think he's off for the next week or so, like me," replied Jules.

"Well, it _is_ a bit unexpected," protested Aleena, taken aback at a guest that was neither expected, nor invited.

"He could look after the kids for us," winked Jules, "maybe give us some time to ourselves."

Aleena pondered that for a moment before replying, "Okay, bring him over!"

_'That's two.'_

Enough votes in Chuck's favor as it was, but then Sonic raised both arms in the air and declared, "Chuck's comin over!"

That settled it. He still had his job, and would have his brother to look after the kids, every now and then. This Christmas might not be so bad, after all.

Miles away, however, the mood was very different...

**Lemme know what y'all think, so far!**


	2. Reschedule

(Saturday, December 16, 2000)

Tightly packed snowballs pelted a hedgehog in a red suit as the Hedge Twins chased him through the front yard.

"C'mere, Fatty!" shouted Sonic, slinging another ice bomb, "We got snow cookies!"

Somehow, "Santa" was able to acrobatically leap behind a snow barrier he'd made earlier and lob snowballs of his own over it with impossible accuracy for someone not even looking at his targets. Sonic and Manic both jumped out of the way of snow clumps raining from the sky like bombs. This Santa meant business...which was to be expected when he's actually your Uncle who has plenty of experience dealing with people shooting and throwing things at him, being both a 3 year military vet and a cop.

"Fall back!" cried out Sonic, sweeping his arm back dramatically, imitating something he'd seen in a movie.

Both twins rushed over to their own little snow fort for cover. Aleena giggled as she watched from inside the house. It was shortly after she and Jules woke up that he arrived, dressed like Saint Nick, and with a bag full of Christmas goodies to keep his nephews busy. As with anything unexpected during the holidays, Aleena was initially unsure of having Uncle Chuck over, fearing it might throw things off balance. But after observing him with the twins for the past half hour, she decided he knew what he was doing.

Jules came downstairs from his morning shower, dressed in a fresh set of sweats, as he was not used to sleeping in, but neither did he favor laziness, even on a day off. He felt somewhat redundant, seeing his wife still in her house robe, but decided not to dwell on it.

"How's Chuckles' holding up?" he asked as he gazed out the window.

"I think he needs help!" laughed Aleena, sipping some hot cocoa she'd made.

A smile made its way to her husband's face.

"There anymore of that?" he asked, perking up as the child in him awoke.

"Frayed knot," lamented Aleena, "This is the only cup I made."

"Guess all the guys will need some to keep em going," Jules pointed out, heading for the kitchen.

His wife had an idea.

"I can make more. You go outside and spend time with your kids," she ordered, circling around and blocking his path, "They needju!"

"Uhh, if you insist," chuckled Jules, heading for the closet that his snowsuit was in.

Aleena heard baby Sonia sobbing softly from her room and set her mug on the table before heading upstairs to find her two year old daughter reaching for her, and couldn't help giggling.

"You know me well," she cooed, pulling the fuzzy eggplant up out of her crib, wrapping her in a blanket, and carrying her back downstairs, past Jules, and into the kitchen.

"Let's make some cocoa, together," she whispered, holding little Sonia in one hand, and preparing the cocoa mix with the other.

"Co...co," cooed Sonia, reaching for the spoon in Aleena's other hand.

As he slipped into his weather gear, Jules thought about how blessed he was to have kids like his, the previous day still fresh in his mind. Coming home from work, he almost felt like he was going to die, the possibility of losing a job as good as his hanging over his head, but somehow, his two sons and wife helped him overcome it and now, here he was enjoying himself again, which he hadn't expected to happen so soon. Slipping on his boots to complete the set, he walked out the front door...NOT expecting two different snowballs to hit him from two different directions.

Chuck snickered when the snowballs Sonic and Manic threw at their dad impacted with pinpoint accuracy, but his amusement quickly faded when he saw Jules collapse and lay shaking in a fetal position. The last time he'd seen him do that was when he'd been shot, 7 years earlier in Somalia. Getting ambushed like that brought him back to the surreal nightmare he'd tried so hard to forget.

As he lay there, helpless, his mind sank further into the nightmare of his near-death experience from less than a decade earlier, vividly reliving the paralyzing fear creeping through him as he stepped into the intense light and heat of the African Sun shining through the open doorway, followed by the mind numbing shock of a high powered sniper round slamming through his chest and robbing him of his senses.

"C'mon, Bro, snap out of it!" ordered Chuck, shaking his younger sibling by his shoulders while Sonic and Manic looked on helplessly.

Jules barely heard his older brother, whose words shifted intermittently with those of the field medic reviving him.

"Snap out of it, Jules!"

_"Stay with me, Private!"_

"Bro, can you hear me?"

_"I think we're losing him."_

"Jules?"

Even now, he could still feel the otherworldly pain in his chest, and the cold terror of being pulled back and forth between life and death. To linger on the very edge, so close to..._the other side._

Then a voice called out to him through the darkness pervading his entire world. Soft, like that of an angel, pleading to him...then he heard it more clearly.

"Dad!"

Snapping back to reality, he recognized the angel now standing over him and looking into his eyes as his own son, Manic, innocent concern glittering his eyes. Placing his hand on the green hedgie's tear stained cheek, Jules remembered his first cries when he was brought into the world. He remembered seeing him walk for the first time, hearing him say his first word, and now, he was the one thing pulling him back from the brink.

Pulling Manic into his arms as he sat up, he saw Sonic also standing next to him, opposite of Manic, so Jules grabbed him, too, hugging both his sons as tightly as he could, never letting them go, lest he drift back into the abyss.

"It's okay, dad," assured Sonic, making Jules hug him tighter, "It's okay."

Simultaneously, Jules felt his older brother putting his arms around all three of them, while whispering to him, "Don't let your past destroy you. You still got your family to look after. They need you as much as you need them."

He was right. He had a family that meant more to him than anything else on earth, and at times like this, they were **all** that mattered to sat there in the snow for what seemed like minutes before the front door opened and Aleena cheerily informed them that the hot chocolate was ready, oblivious to what had taken place only minutes before.

Sonic and Manic's heads poked up and they whooped excitedly as they raced into the house, the entire incident now in the back of their young minds.

"Well, at least they can get past it," assured Chuck, "All that's left is you."

Jules chuckled at his sons' ability to brush off such an experience, until he began to wonder why. Were they so used to his breakdowns that they'd come to expect it from him? Was it so routine that they could sense when it was safe to go back to business as usual, as if it were a storm passing by? Was he so weak that he couldn't put on a strong image for them? As he thought back on their words of comfort during his times of weakness, he wondered if he was raising them, or if they were raising him? What effect would his weakness have on them as they got older, and their need for a strong father became greater?

Upon entering the kitchen, seeing his two sons sipping steaming mugs of cocoa at the kitchen table, and his wife playing with their daughter calmed him further. Yet, the incident itself still bugged him.

"Here you go, honey!" chirped Aleena, handing him a mug, which he gladly accepted.

Setting himself down at the end of the kitchen table opposite Sonic and Manic, Jules pondered about all of his breakdowns more deeply, and was surprised at how many had happened. How many times he'd put his family and colleagues through it, even to the point of nearly losing his job because he couldn't keep it together when it counted.

_"I can't keep doing this,"_ the cerulean hedgehog realized, as he sipped from his mug, _"This has to stop!"_

If he was going to enjoy the holidays with his family...no, if he was to enjoy a long lasting relationship with his family, at all, he had to overcome his issues, somehow. He couldn't keep subjecting them to this if he wanted to keep them for much longer. Though they stood by him now, he couldn't imagine it staying that way for long if this continued.

"But how am I going to fix this in time?" Jules wondered.

Taking another sip from his mug, he glanced over at Chuck, who was over by the microwave, playing with little Sonia, still in Aleena's arms, and obviously doing a much better job of what he himself should have been doing. Jules then shifted his glance over to his two sons at the other end of the table, who were, in turn, watching him, whispering to each other occasionally, naively assuming he didn't know what they were talking about. Already, doubts were beginning to set in. If he couldn't be strong for his children, a stable, wholesome Christmas with the family would soon be just a memory.

_"How am I going to put this behind me...?"_

Then, as if he didn't have enough on his mind, the phone in the office rang. Everyone froze, unsure of who was going to go pick it up. After the second ring, Jules finally volunteered and headed for the office. Picking up the phone next to the computer, Jules identified his name and residence before asking who was calling.

"It's been a long time, Jules," replied a familiar voice on the other end./p p Indeed it had. Jules hadn't talked to his old mentor since he and Aleena left South Island, 5 years earlier.

"Whatup, Jake?" he asked.

Jake Quilson, a white hedgehog with green stripes, had been the head of the Vanguards protecting Space Colony Ark until it arrive on Earth in 1991, after 50 years of drifting through space, in the wake of their home world's destruction. Jules and his brother Chuck had always admired the Ark's protectors, but especially their leader who had gone to great pains to prevent a hostile takeover by radicals, back in the early 80s.

"How are things going over there?" asked Jake.

"So far, so good," replied Jules, "not having the most exciting holiday, but it's turning out alright. What about you?"

"I wish I could say the same," said Jake, his voice suddenly gloomier.

"What's wrong?" Jules asked, hoping Jake hadn't called just to vent his own problems.

"The holidays back here are usually hectic, but my son, Ashura, lost his pet chao a couple days ago, and he hasn't come out of his room since then," replied the old Vanguard.

The blue hedgehog wouldn't admit it, but he was grateful not to be in Jake's shoes at that moment. He had enough on his own plate and wasn't sure he'd be able to handle a depressed teenager.

"So what have you done to help him out?" asked Jules, hoping to wrap this up as quickly as he could.

"Everything," was the response he got, "Ash seems pretty determined to spend Christmas by himself in his room. That's bad enough, but now Bernadette is raising havoc over it, demanding that I do something about it when I've exhausted every last option.

Then a thought occurred to Jules...

"So why are you calling me, then?" he asked.

A silent moment passed before Jake said, "I'll just say it: I was hoping you could have him over for the holidays."

Jules felt his face sink halfway to the floor.

"...I'll think about it," he replied hesitantly, setting the phone back on the receiver to end the call as politely as he could.

_"I do NOT need this!"_ he thought bitterly as he got up and went back to the kitchen.

First, his own mental issues, and now Ashura's? He already had one broken mind to worry about. Bringing a problem child into the mix wasn't gonna make Christmas any easier.

As he sat back down in his chair and sipped some more cocoa, Aleena stopped playing with Sonia when she noticed yet another troubled expression on her husband's face.

"Is there something wrong?" she whispered.

Her blue furred counterpart seemed deep in thought, as if pondering what to say, before he finally motioned her to him with one finger while he got up and went back toward the office again, this time for privacy. Aleena walked in behind him, little Sonia now sleeping in her arms, and repeated her previous question, the concern in her voice more evident, now.

Jules began, "You remember Jake Quilson?"

"I do," nodded Aleena.

He kept his voice to a whisper, "Apparently, his son's pet died, and now he's going through severe depression over it. Now Jake wants us to look after him, and I'm not sure that's possible."

His wife pondered on that before asking, "Isn't Ashura the one whose brother, Nazo died of NIDS, shortly after arriving on Earth?"

Jules hadn't thought of that. She was right, too. The day Space Colony Ark landed in 91, many of the passengers that were used to a sterile environment onboard the space station couldn't handle the bacteria and toxins of the new world, and their nervous and immune systems were overwhelmed and, in more extreme cases, shut down altogether. Such cases were diagnosed as Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (NIDS), which Ashura's twin brother, Nazo, had contracted. Ashura was only 5 at the time, and had been living with that nightmare for almost a decade since then. The loss of his pet must've been harder on him than originally thought. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in an adult was one thing, but Ashura had grown up with only his brother's death to remember him by. Jules couldn't begin to imagine what was like, wondering how different things would be if only someone he'd loved and lost were still here.

"Now I'm not so sure," Jules said in a low voice, "Given all that he's been through, having him over with us just might be the best thing for him."

"Do you really think so?" asked Aleena, an eyebrow raised, "Only a moment ago, you couldn't stand the thought of bringing him over."

"True," conceded her husband, "but I worry about him."

"Is Ashura really coming over?" interrupted a squeaky voice belonging to Manic, from outside the office.

The little sneak had been spying on them.

"We don't know," Jules replied.

"We don't want to potentially ruin Christmas by bringing over someone that has problems of his own," added in Aleena, knowing that sounded harsher than she intended.

"I'll make him feel better!" chirped Manic, "He can play with me and Sonic! We'll build snowmen, bake cookies, and set traps for santa!"

His parents laughed at that last one.

At least one of their kids was excited to have Ashura over. Jules' main concern was that his sons wouldn't like the idea, but that was proving unfounded.

"Bring him over! I'll wipe him out in snow wars!" clapped Sonic, also hiding outside with his brother.

That's two in agreement. Their approval took the rug out from Jules' main reason for not wanting Ashura over. If they could handle their cousin, then brightening Ash's holiday might be worth it, after all.

Over on South Island, the phone rang, and Jake ran over to pull it from the receiver.

"Hello?" he asked.

"About Ashura..."

"Yes?"

"...we'll take him."

**I would have updated sooner, but I'm dealing with a severe case of bronchitis and am bedridden as I post this. Future updates should be more frequent, as these two chapters were the more difficult ones to write, and I have a better idea of what I'll actually be typing now. :)**


	3. Come They Told Me

(Sunday, December 17, 2000)

The flight from South Island wasn't until the following day, and even then, not until later. Ashura would be arriving at about 6:30 pm, local time, so the family left for the airport around 5:55, wanting to get there a few minutes early, in case his plane did, too.

"Is he here, yet?" asked Sonic, looking around.

_"That's a new one!" _chuckled Jules, internally, remembering the old "are-we-there-yet" routine he'd seen in comedies.

"No, but when he arrives, he'll come through gate B2."

"Where is that?" asked Manic, also looking around.

Jules merely pointed ahead and said, "Right in front of us."

Both twins gazed at the huge B2 sign they hadn't noticed before, as if it were now the most obvious thing on earth (which it kinda was).

"Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!" they Oh'd.

Aleena's head fell forward as she busted out laughing, while baby Sonia, currently in Chuck's arms, noticed her tilting and tried to touch her, sensing something was wrong with her.

"Your mother's fine," chuckled Chuck, moving Sonia close enough to touch Aleena as she sat back up smiling.

"What's behind those curtains?" asked Manic.

Jules followed his green son's gaze to the doorway at the end of the conveyor belt at the baggage claim. The opening was obscured by black leathery strips that hung down and prevented prying eyes from seeing what lay beyond them.

"They have a really mean dog sitting on the other side, waiting for anyone who sticks their hand in," Jules told him, doing his best to keep a straight face.

Chuck looked away to hide a smirk on his own face.

Right about then, the announcement for gate B2 came on over the PA, and everyone got up from their seats so Ashura could see them. Jules was a bit concerned that it would be hard to identify him in the coming crowd of disembarking airline passengers, and had gone as far as bringing a printed photo of the boy that his parents had emailed. Thankfully, it proved unnecessary as the mix of emerald and ebony fur, ruby eyes made him stand out like a sore thumb.

"That him?" asked Aleena, still seated with Sonia in her lap, pointing to what Jules initially thought was an adult with fur both ebony and emerald like the boy in the photo, as well as the somewhat sagging waistline.

Looking closer, however, he saw the same ruby red eyes.

"I believe it is," Jules nodded.

"You sure he's 14?" asked Chuck, noting Ashura's unusual height, which was close to Jules' shoulders.

"He's biiiiiig!" observed Sonic, his eyes growing.

Jules then noticed the boy hugging his duffle bag to his chest, and wasn't sure what to make of it. Waving to get his attention, he noticed Ashura shivering as he came closer. He wasn't ready for the cold weather he'd never experienced before.

"Are you Ashura?" Jules asked.

The young hog simply nodded, not wanting to talk unless he had to.

A smile made its way to Jules face, and he told the teen "welcome, Nephew" before he and Chuck pulled him into a hug. Ashura put his own hands around them awkwardly.

His visit might not have been planned, but Jules had no intention of making it unpleasant for him, either. If anything, he'd need all the support they could give him after all he'd been through.

As soon as both older blue-hogs parted, Sonic and Manic glomped each of Ashura's legs, hugging like they were trying to cut off his circulation. Ashura looked down at both of them, then up at Aleena as she giggled at the spectacle. Not knowing what else to do, the uniquely colored teen-hog bent down and placed his hands around both of his little cousins, holding them against himself for a moment before Sonic lost interest and broke away. Yet, Manic stayed. Ashura looked down at his more loyal companion, who happened to look up at that moment. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they remained that way, staring at each other.

_(Snap)_

Another victim claimed by Aleena's camera.

"Couldn't help it, she giggled, putting her digital camera back in her purse.

It was then Ashura noticed baby Sonia standing on the chair next to her mother, waving at him, a gurbish smile creeping onto her face.

The black and green hedgehog waved back, but didn't smile. His mind was a flood of emotions, and Christmas cheer barely registered among them. Ashura didn't really want to be here, but neither was he eager to go back home, and did his best to be cooperative with his Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins. Taking his hand from Manic, he went over to little Sonia, whose arms were outstretched to him, and picked her up in his own, letting her hug his neck as he held her.

"I think she likes you," giggled Aleena, ever the high spirited one.

Not entirely comfortable being noticed, regardless of the reason for it, Ashura gently placed Sonia back on the chair, careful not to be rough, lest he offend the family he was to stay with.

Then his Uncle spoke up again, asking, "Do you have a coat?" which immediately made him worry he'd be sent back, but having no other response, Ashura looked away, shaking his head as he muttered, "No."

Jules just laughed, knowing that would likely be the case.

"That's alright, I brought an extra you can use," he explained, pulling a snowcoat from the pile of other coats on the chair at the end of the row everyone had been sitting at, and handing it to Ashura.

That was quite a relief to the teen-hog, but he was still uncertain about what would happen next, knowing that the slightest mishap could still set them off and land him on the next return flight home, and except for a simple, "thanks," he remained otherwise silent.

"Fit okay?" Jules asked after he slipped the spare coat on.

Ash merely nodded.

He wasn't much of a conversationalist. His father, Jake, had pointed that out over the phone before he came, but Jules hoped he'd warm up a bit for the holidays, knowing how strict Jake could be.

"Hope you're hungry," piped in Chuck, "Got some stir fry waiting at home."

"Awesome," perked Ashura, not exactly excited, but less visibly downtrodden than before.

At least food got his attention, though his rather large belt size should have been an indication, which, thankfully wouldn't be much of a problem at a time of year when everyone was hidden beneath layers of snow clothes.

As everyone was getting their coats and gloves back on, little Sonia continued reaching up for Ashura, apparently still wanting to be held. He neither said, nor did anything, not wanting to be bothered by her, and felt relieved when Aunt Aleena picked up Sonia and set her on the chair to dress her up in her snow suit.

Then he felt someone grabbing his leg and looked down to see Manic, who asked him, "Wanna walk me around?"

The red eyed hedgehog stared in blank confusion, trying to comprehend what the child was asking of him,

Watching the two, Jules couldn't tell if there was a connection between them or not. It was a bit early to expect him to simply forget his recently deceased pet, understandably, but it would make things easier for everyone if he at least got along with his little cousins.

Ashura then heard Sonia moaning and followed his ears to see her in her mothers arms, but still reaching for him. Aleena was right, that kid did like him. However, all Ashura wanted was his chao, little Silver. To hear _his_ moans, and feel _his_ paws scampering all over him.

"Okay, we're ready!" exclaimed Aunt Aleena, getting the last of Sonia's snow clothes on, "Everyone else ready?"

"I'm good!" chirped Sonic, raising his hand, then Manic.

"I never took my coat off," shrugged Chuck.

"I'm all set," Jules replied.

Time to head home with the Hedges.

Aleena picked up little Sonia, but as they walked toward the exit, Ashura could see hear still looking at him, visibly fascinated with the new person she knew was part of the family. Something his younger brother, Cosmic never did. At least his cousins actually liked him, unlike his own family, so perhaps spending time with them wouldn't kill him...assuming the weather also didn't.

Getting to the car was the next step, which, in this weather, would be a challenge for anyone who'd spent the better part of a decade on Hawaii.

"You'll want to put your hood up," warned Jules as they neared the exit.

Ashura did as he was told, but was still unprepared for the blast of frigid air that hit him like a brick wall. Half senseless from the sharp drop in temperature, Ashura was dumbfounded to see what looked like smoke filling his breath, and for a moment, feared that he'd be in serious trouble for underage smoking, until he noticed the same phenomenon affecting everyone else and decided it wasn't what he initially thought, though he was still confused, but he was too cold to ask about it.

Jules was relieved to see Ash was holding up, silly as it was to think he wouldn't, but he was glad to see the cold was a minor inconvenience, as shivering seemed to be Ashura's only reaction, though even the cold would be unpleasant to be alone in. Slowing down, Jules let Ashura catch up, and placed his hand around the younger hedgehog's shoulder. He knew it wouldn't make him any warmer, but he noticed Ashura's shivering had decreased.

Placing his bags in the back of the van, Ashura placed himself in the very back, huddling in his big coat. Jules expected him to distance himself like that, at first, but was pleasantly surprised when both of his sons sat beside the teen. Ash paid them no mind, at first, but Jules was certain they'd get along before he returned to South Island.

With everyone else buckled in, Jules started up the heater and drove home.

**It begins...**


	4. All seem to say Throw cares away

**January is too early AND too late to be posting Christmas material, not to mention the lack of reviews killed my motivation, but I thought I'd wrap this chapter up anyway before going on hiatus until next December.**

(7:09 pm)

Pulling into their neighborhood, Manic noticed his older cousin, who hadn't spoken or paid the least bit attention to the outside world, now seemed fixated on the light show passing by as they drove past many houses covered top to bottom in various shades of red, green, blue, yellow, and even purple, among others. Some lights shone bright while others sparkled. Some lights were accompanied by plastic set-ups, while others formed images and words, lighting up the night with a very peculiar sort of magic not found anywhere else on earth at any other time of the year. When they turned into the Hedge Family's driveway, Ashura finally spoke for the first time since climbing into the van.

"Where are the rest of the lights?" he asked, quietly, noticing only two shrubs out front had some multi-colored bulbs on them while the rest of the house and surrounding property was concealed by utter blackness.

"We been kinda lazy this year," Jules admitted.

"Guess we know who is getting coal this year," chuckled Uncle Chuck, from behind.

"Yeah, my bad," Jules sighed humorously.

He wasn't the sort of man to never admit error on his part, but it was still unusual for Manic to hear his dad talk down about himself so casually, prompting him to reply, "We can still put them up."

"I'm in favor of that!" Aleena chimed in, eager to keep the holiday atmosphere positive.

The van stopped just short of the garage and everyone climbed out, preferring not to have to squeeze out when the vehicle was parked inside, and Jules continued moving inward until he stopped and got out.

Uncle Chuck got Ash's bag and followed everyone else into the house. Catching up to Ashura, Chuck handed him his bag, which the teen seemed to hesitate accepting, as if he wanted nothing to do with it before awkwardly muttering "thanks" under his breath.

_"He sure is a weird one,"_ thought Chuck.

Shedding his shoes and entering the main part of the house, Ashura looked around, hoping to see more of those lights and decorations that lit up the neighborhood outside, but was disappointed to see the house looking rather bare, save for a few lights on the kitchen cabinets, and a tree set up in the family room with nothing on it at all, apparently forgotten. It was overall underwhelming compared to what the green teen had been expecting, but he'd come to expect such letdowns over the course of his life.

"I'll show you to your room," Jules offered.

Ashura followed him up the stairs to a room that had all the basic amenities and a king sized bed that could have fit two or three occupants. Obviously, the guest room. After his uncle finished pointing out all the need-to-knows, he set his bag on the floor and spread out his extra clothes, folding them into categorized stacks and deciding that his visit here would be too short for him to worry about putting his stuff away, and when he did need an extra change, he could just pick it up off the floor and place the used set back in the bag.

Going over to the window, he pulled the curtains aside and felt mesmerized by the brightly lit magic lighting up the night. He was still cut deeply by the loss of his pet Chao, and confused and afraid in a place that was unfamiliar in every conceivable way. Yet...the Christmas decorations outside gave him a sense of serenity he'd never known before. Staring at the otherworldly lights reflecting on pearly fluff filled him with a strange fulfillment he couldn't quite describe, and while he didn't fully understand this feeling, his fear of this new unknown began to fade.

Perhaps coming here hadn't been such a bad idea, after all...

"Enjoying the view?" asked Jules.

"...I guess," he mumbled, turning to awkwardly face his uncle, standing in the doorway.

He didn't mind being around people that didn't regularly get on his nerves, like everyone he knew back home, but anything unexpected left him stumped, typical conversation being something he had almost no experience in. At least none that was positive.

"Dinner will be ready, shortly," continued Jules, hoping that, at least, would perk him up.

"Cool," was all he got in response.

Not what the older hedgehog was hoping for. So far, Ashura had been even more of a downer than he himself had when he first came home from work, and he hadn't a clue as to what he was to do about it, since his nephew wasn't very open and gave no indication of what he liked. He hoped to find out, before he found out the hard way what Ashura _didn't_ like, given how fragile Christmas was for most people.

Not ten minutes later, everyone was seated around the kitchen table, but despite having two guests over, so close to Christmas, dinner had been somewhat less eventful than Jules expected. The atmosphere around the table was pleasant enough, but Ashura was definitely the quietest teen Jules had ever seen. He didn't hesitate to inhale what was on his plate, like everyone else, yet he seemed to have little interest in conversation, merely observing what was being said and done around him with mild disinterest. When Aleena asked him what he usually did for Christmas back home- an innocent question- he seemed unprepared, like he hadn't expected to be included in any sort of interaction, which partially answered Aleena's question.

"I uh, we..." he stuttered, "we just decorate and...not much else."

The boy wasn't hostile, he just wasn't much of a conversationalist, either. As in, "at all." This alone wasn't much cause for worry, but Jules hoped he would at least be a part of the family he was staying with since he was, in fact, related to them, and they were stuck with each other whether they liked it or not, now that he was here. The best they could do was make the next week as little of a burden as possible. Problem was, Ashura wasn't making any move to socialize with his aunt and uncle who he hadn't seen in years, or their children. That meant someone else would have to break the ice, and so far, nobody was taking the first step, leaving it up to him.

"What sort of decorations does your family put up, back home?" he asked.

Again, he struggled with his words, as if searching for the right ones.

"Just...some in the windows...and on the tree..."

"What trees do you use in Hawaii?" asked Sonic.

Moments passed before Ash reluctantly explained that his family used a special type called the Norfolk Tree, which looked like something from outer space because it had coils of branches circling around the tree, and stacked on top of each other.

"Sounds light. I guess that wouldn't be hard to set up in the house," mused Chuck.

"We don't bring it inside the house, we just leave it in the yard where it's rooted since it's never too cold to go outside," replied Ashura.

Opening presents in the yard on an unseasonably warm morning. Who said a tropical Christmas was boring?

"What else does your family do for the holidays over there?" Jules asked, curious, but also hoping to lighten the mood with a more positive subject.

"...Christmas movies, mostly," replied Ash, sounding more downtrodden than before.

Jules didn't quite get why that seemed to get him down, but decided to wait till after dinner to ask him about it since the young hog was visibly bothered by the subject.

"How's the stir fry?" asked Aleena, cheerfully.

"Really good," Ashura replied, plainly.

Jules knew he meant it since he'd finished everything on his plate, but the boy's perpetually gray mood was getting tiresome. Surely he had some authentic emotion buried within that would surface if given enough time to heal. His parents said he was slow, but never mentioned autism. At least he hoped that wasn't the problem.

"How did your chao die?" asked Sonic innocently, from across the table.

_"No, I do NOT need this!"_ Jules thought to himself, watching his nephew go still.

"Sonic, let it go!" warned Aleena, knowing that was the last thing Ashura needed on his mind.

"Sorry," shrugged the blue hedgie, not really knowing what the problem was.

The damage was already done, however, and Ashura said and did almost nothing until after everyone had been excused and the dishes taken care of. That was when he asked to go outside so he could look at the decorations some more. Aleena gave him her gloves and a scarf, insisting he wear them with his coat and boots. He planned on going outside alone, but then Sonic and Manic asked to be let outside, too. Jules had hoped for a brief respite from the dark cloud Ashura had single handedly brought into the house, but knowing his kids would be out there with a clearly less-than-normal boy he knew little about, sighed at having to follow them outside.

Moving toward the closet, he was stopped by Chuck, who told him, "Take a breather, I'll watch them while they're out."

"Thank you," Jules sighed under his breath to hide the relief he felt.

His older brother knew him better than he thought.

Chuck slipped on his coat and gloves, then followed the twins and their older cousin outside. Even as a kid, he could not remember slipping on anything as quickly as they had their snow gear. Maybe they all should have been named Sonic.

Stepping outside, Ashura immediately walked toward the neighboring houses which had plenty of lights and set-ups to gaze upon. He was supposed to be here for a week, possibly longer, and he wasn't enjoying it much. The weather was suffocating, there was nothing to do at the Hedges' house as far as he knew, his only playmates were underage hedgehogs, and it wouldn't be long till his relatives got sick of him and shipped him back home. Everyone did, eventually.

Behind him, he could hear the twins chattering and thumping each other with snowballs, along with the door closing as a fourth person came outside, though Ash didn't bother looking back to see who it was. All he wanted to do, for now, was see the decorations.

Manic deflected a snowball with his mitten-clad hand and was about to return the favor when he heard the door open and close, and turned to see Uncle Chuck coming outside, and decided he'd make an easier target, clearly not expecting anything, and _chuck_ed it at the older hedgehog, watching him recoil in surprise.

Sonic made fun of their uncle while his green twin looked around for Ashura, expecting to get clobbered by him. However, he was nowhere to be found, but upon closer inspection, Manic noticed him walking away, toward a nearby house with decorations out in the front yard, the mixture of bright lights obscuring his true colors in the darkness. This was supposed to be his first time in the snow, yet, he cared nothing about it. That really made Manic wonder how much he was still hurting from losing his chao.

Then he got hit in the shoulder by a snowball.

"Wakey, wakey," mocked Sonic, holding another snowball ready to fly.

"I think Ash needs someone to play with," whispered Manic.

"He doesn't even _want_ to play," protested Sonic.

"Then make him," whispered, Chuck, having eavesdropped on their conversation.

Wicked smiles lined their faces as they readied snowballs and snuck through the snow toward their older cousin with less than benevolent intent as Chuck looked on in amusement. Manic expected Ash to turn and ran, or even throw a snowball he'd hidden, but despite having plenty of space in the corner of his eye to see them approaching, he remained oblivious. That is, until two balls of clumped snow pelted him from the side, one of them on the head, nearly knocking him off his feet, and completely out of the serenity he'd desperately trying to lose himself in as he'd stared at the Christmas Decorations. Regaining his bearings, Ashura turned to his relatives in shock, only to be hit by one from Uncle Chuck.

His entire life replaying, here, where he was supposed to be far away from everyone who had hated and shunned him his whole life. He felt like no matter where he went, there would always be someone hunting him down to remind him he did not belong. Even his little cousins and their uncle. It wasn't enough that they cared nothing for his only friend that he recently lost, but now they were throwing things at him.

He took off as fast as he could toward bushes on the side of the road as snowballs chased him, desperately trying to lose those he felt had stabbed him in the back. His breath clouded the air around him as he huffed and puffed, exhaustion overcoming his overweight body. After running around houses and through yards for what seemed like several minutes, he finally slowed to a stop and collapsed to his knees, the frozen air stinging his throat each time he inhaled. How he hated this place, for everyone here showed little regard for how he felt and were now out to get him, seemingly without provocation. It was no different than his home island, except here, even the weather hated him, because every breath felt like icy fangs biting into his throat, and it only seemed to get worse. His dry, labored breathing gave way to uncontrollable coughing. Ashura fell back onto his rear and covered his mouth, attempting to warm the air entering his lungs, which gave him enough self control to pull his coat collar up over his mouth and nose, trapping his body heat around them, and relieving the coughing fit, though his throat still felt very sore from the icy assault.

Then he heard them calling his name, and he became fearful of what they'd do when they found him. They would almost certainly be mad at him for hiding, maybe even tell his parents, which scared him more than anything. They couldn't tell his parents he'd been bad, but at the same time, Ash was still afraid of being found. As their voices calling to him grew louder, he huddled in the snow, holding his knees to his chest while the collar over his lower face kept his breath from becoming visible. He didn't want them to be mad at him, but at the same time, he didn't want to be found by them, since they weren't any better than his own family, or the kids at his school...

As his twin and uncle called out to his older cousin, Manic grew more worried about him. Even though he was only 4, he could tell something was seriously wrong with Ashura. No one reacted in such extreme ways unless they were deeply hurt, and it didn't help that Sonic had brought up painful memories by so casually asking what killed Ashura's pet. That might have been why Ash had taken offense at being snowballed by him, shortly after. It was obvious he was lonely, but how anyone was supposed to help him was a mystery since he was unwilling to let anyone help him.

Then, as they passed by an empty house that was for sale, Manic had an odd feeling that what he was looking for was nearby, so he peeked behind said house to find Ashura huddling in his snow coat. The green and black hedgehog didn't notice him, at first, but nearly jumped to his feet when Manic whispered his name. Both of them exchanged awkward glances for a moment before Manic continued.

"Sorry you got hit," he said, Sorry about your chao, too."

Ashura said nothing through the collar over his mouth and nose, and his expression remained still like a statue, but Manic saw his eyes shimmer with moisture. He wasn't responding, but the whole thing still affected him. He was clearly in pain, but still refused to talk. Manic hoped he could change that, somehow.

"Come back with us. I won't anyone touch you!" he offered, imitating movie heroes he'd watched.

Ashura finally spoke, another moment later.

"I...they're already mad at me," he protested weakly.

"What do you mean?" asked Manic.

"I ran away," replied Ashura, his voice shaking, "now they'll send me back home, and my dad will have my head."

"I won't let em!" protested Manic, hugging his older cousin protectively.

Ash wasn't sure what to think, seeing his little cousin glomping him, despite his assumption that none of his relatives wanted anything to do with him. He still didn't want to go back to their house, but now, he wasn't entirely sure if doing so would be as bad as he thought, since he had one of his cousins actively defending him. He didn't know if that would be enough to keep them from sending him back home early, though.

"Let's tell them we were playing hide and seek," suggested Manic.

Now he was suggesting they make things up...but at least he was trying to help. That much was more than Ashura could have hoped for, when coming here.

"No matter what happens, I'll stick with you," promised Manic, "No one should have to be alone on Christmas!"

Hearing him say that did more to ease his mind than any Christmas Lights could have. He wasn't used to anyone showing that they cared about him. Certainly not someone that was only 4. And he hadn't even demanded anything in return, except to come back home with him. Ashura was still afraid the others would be as wrathful to him for running away as his own parents surely would have, but now he had a hint that things might not be as bad as he thought. Plus, Manic did have a point about hide and seek. Not having a plan of his own, what choice did he have?

"...okay, I'll come back," he replied after almost a minute.

"Awesome!" squeaked Manic, raising his fists in the air, "Last one to catch up to Uncle Chuck is a melted snowman!"

Ash watched his smaller counterpart take off, and basked in the affection he'd shown him only moments before. Still shaken by losing his chao, and from being brought to an unfamiliar home, but at least now he knew that one of his distant relatives cared about him. Something no one back home ever did. He didn't know how they'd react to him running off, even if they did believe Manic's little tale about playing hide and seek, but at least now he wasn't as afraid of rejoining them. At least with Manic, this Christmas might not be as bad as last year.

Ashura got up from where he'd crouched in the snow and followed the sound of his name still being called out. On the way, he got an idea and bent down to grab some snow to make a snowball. The idea of him deliberately hiding would be more believable if he kept the snowball fight going. As he did, the collar covering his lower face came loose, and the hacking and coughing came back worse than before, and he noticed that he was starting to feel worse all over, because of it...


End file.
